Review by Greg on June 13, 2026.

Born out of the ashes of progressive/groove outfit The Massacre Cave and its sole full-length effort Godlust, Electric Sun Defence is a duo determined to keep the voice of Scotland's remote islands alive. "Estuary" is their debut album, and its minimal artwork marks quite the departure from the previous project.

Indeed, as soon as the short intro 'Shimmer' approaches its end getting louder and louder, and I was bracing myself for the predictable explosion of sound, the title-track opens on peaceful, emotional clean guitars and minimal drumming. Similarly, Joe Cormack's vocals are distant, but clearly as a conscious stylistic choice, and not as a trick to conceal a subpar performance. Still, it lasts until about 2:30, where the advertised Mastodon and Baroness influences suddenly explode. The band doesn't fully commit to the rawness of sludge, as the faster parts feel more in line with The Massacre Cave's thrashy roots, and they don't reach Crack the Skye-level radio-friendliness either – this is a comfortable middle ground where all the songs on "Estuary" ebb and flow nicely. Add a healthy dose of post-metal à la Cult of Luna in the spacious arrangements, not to mention the long compositions, and the package is complete.

Quite fittingly to its status of namesake song, 'Estuary' sets the blueprint for the remainder of the album. 'His Will' brings it even further – noodly riffs constantly intertwine with ethereal sections, still with a somewhat Gojira-esque chug appearing every now and then. Yeah, maybe this is the kind of tracks sludge metalheads meditate to. The best is yet to come, as Peter Colquhoun's crescendo drum roll at 4:25 feels like the prelude to something special, and an awesome riff and solo follow. I'd say this is the first Electric Sun Defence song you should check out, if you've got only enough time for one. Nevertheless, no song passes by without leaving an indelible trace, be it the slide guitar intro of 'The Master's Garden' or the twisted riffing of 'Phantom Limb Amputee', albeit some stronger vocal hooks could elevate the material considerably. 'Choke Leper' combines "Estuary's" more atmospheric moments with Cormack's roughest delivery, including a mighty scream functioning as the proverbial wake-up call. There's also an instrumental ('Spiderweb'), where the laid-back, almost jam-like feel (but not to be confused with aimless, for sure) of the softer sections gets to shine, although accompanied by an unnerving spoken sample, adding a distressing note to this sweet detour.

Clocking in at 50 minutes, "Estuary" shouldn't attract many accusations of longwindedness. Trust me, I'm usually the first person to complain about that. I did find the album's latter half slightly less enticing, but the intensity was also increased, if anything, culminating in the jarring finale of 'In Bestia'. This isn't quite my jam, and as such I can't envision myself returning to it frequently, but its hypnotic charm and blending of characters is guaranteed to be a real treat for genre aficionados.

Rating: 7.8 out of 10

Review by Jeger on March 10, 2026.

The paradox of beauty and savagery - oil in water - the two can occupy the same space, just never the same form. And so it is too with the art of Black Metal, as you will seldom find one without the other within this realm. Only bands like the dastardly Archgoat or the abominable Profanatica operate at a strictly brute level. But what of the passion? What of the sleepless nights and the tears? Black Metal holds a special place for these, and it's a place haunted by the likes of those who've harnessed the energy of suffering and who've mastered the way of melody: Sargeist, Mgła, Nachtmystium. Those who possess a deep understanding of pain and joy, of rage and serenity. A deeper understanding of what makes for a deeply personal, dual-faceted BM experience.

France's Alkhemia formed in 2021 and have thus far released one LP in their debut, "Abraxas", with a second, their sophomore effort, "Häxen", scheduled for a March 13 release through Non Serviam Records. "Häxen" is one of those records where you know instantly what you've gotten yourself into, and in this case, you've gotten into some greatness. There's an air of elegance to this album that gleams through the mix in various forms, from its crisp production quality down to the sharp tone of the guitars and the wet sound of the drums. The opening track, "Zeitgeist", displays every one of these attributes and they're set to fluid melodic sequences that propel with momentum to the drive of blast-beats and double-bass currents. Nuanced by hypnotic clean guitar riffs and contemplative spoken-word vocals.

"Häxen" is like new blonde chick in class hot… Just firing clean on every cylinder now as "Excressence" begins. Plowing through the opening seconds with Panzer-like force as racing tremolo riffs unfold to a myriad of high-energy rhythms. Blast-beats like artillery fire cracking off with machine-like precision beneath the atmosphere, which is pulsating with the collective energy of all phases. Building gradually into a blackened cacophony of controlled chaos.

Conceptually, "Häxen" is an exploration of Orwellian Dystopia - the decay of civilization as we know it. In this new reality, this neo-Dark Age, those who do not conform will be cast out and only the obedient shall prosper. Sound a little too familiar? The familiarity between theme and sound here are both remarkable. Most of us are well aware of our inglorious future ahead and we're most certainly familiar with the soundtrack: the melancholy and the dread to accompany the cursed coming of the dawn. Sorrow and brutality like the aforementioned contrast between beauty and savagery to behold during the entirety of "Stars And Frozen Faces" - the strange comfort of deeply sorrowful passages gives way to the enthrallment of a different, more aggressive type of energy as mammoth riffs and commanding rhythms ensue.

Fragments of what used to be, "Remnants" - a bewildering, downright maddening closing track that hits on progressive and conventional levels with loudspeaker type vocals and senses-scrambling harmonies. Impressive is the word… An elite presence on the French scene Alkhemia has become. And without a whole lot in the way of competition outside of Gorgon, Seth and Mutiilation, their rise should be an effortless one. Revolt! No honor in conformity… With "Häxen", Alkhemia enter into the realm of duality and into the sphere of collapse and own them both.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10